Minutes of Proceedings

Apologies

1.1      Apologies were noted from the Speaker, Mrs S Overend and Mr S Dickson. The Acting Chairperson welcomed Mr K McCarthy as the Alliance substitute.  

2.         Minutes of the meeting held on 19 June 2012

2.1      The minutes of the meeting held on 19 June were agreed and signed by the Acting Chairperson.  

3.         Matters arising

3.1       There were no matters arising.  

4.         Finalisation of Order Papers for plenary meetings in week commencing 2 July 2012

Executive Business

4.1      Members noted that, in addition to the Executive Business scheduled at the previous meeting, the following business had been scheduled for Monday 2 July:

• Motion to suspend Standing Orders 10(2) to 10(4);
• Statement from the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister on the British Irish Council Summit meeting;
• Statement from the Minister of Justice on the Access to Justice Review: Departmental Action Plan;
• Statement from the Minister for Employment and Learning on Opportunities for Success: the Youth Employment Initiative.

4.2      Members noted that the motion to approve the draft Docking of Working Dogs’ Tails (Certification and Identification) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 had been removed and that further Executive statements were expected on Monday 2 July.

4.3      Members noted that, in addition to the Executive Business scheduled at the previous meeting, the following business had been scheduled for Tuesday 3 July:

• Legislative Consent Motion on the Local Government Finance Bill
• Draft Local Government Best Value (Exclusion of Non-Commercial Considerations) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012.

4.4      Members also noted that further Executive statements were expected on Tuesday 3 July.  

Committee Business

4.5      Members confirmed the usual timings for the Committee for Justice motion on its Report on the Inquiry into Criminal Justice Services available to Victims and Witnesses of Crime in Northern Ireland scheduled on Tuesday 3 June.

4.6      Members agreed to schedule a Sinn Féin motion to change Committee membership on Tuesday 3 June.

Private Members’ Business

4.7      Members agreed to schedule the presentation of a public petition by Mr Seán Lynch relating to ‘Save Our Townlands’ on Monday 2 July.  

4.8      Members agreed that there was no scope for any other Private Members’ business on either day.

4.9      As the Business Committee would not meet on Tuesday 3 July, and given the volume of plenary business, members agreed that there would be no lunchtime suspension on that day.

4.10    Junior Minister McCann confirmed the availability of all relevant Ministers, and the possibility of further Executive statements.

4.11    The draft Order Papers were agreed.

5.         Oral Questions Rota September 2012 – Christmas Recess

5.1       Members agreed the rota for Oral Questions from September 2012 until the Christmas Recess as presented.  

6.         Update on responses to Written Questions    

6.1       The Acting Chairperson referred members to a summary paper which provided an update on the response times to Assembly Written Questions. Members noted the results.

6.2       Members agreed to receive an update on the figures following the Hallowe’en Recess.

7.         Any other business

7.1       Members noted that agreement had been reached amongst Whips that Mr Stewart Dickson would be the Assembly’s nominee as a substitute member of the Regional Chamber of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (CLRAE).

7.2       Members agreed to schedule a business motion on Monday 2 July to give effect to this decision.

8.         Date and Time of next meeting

8.1       Members agreed to meet at approximately 12.30pm on Tuesday 4 September 2012 in Room 106.

The Acting Chairperson brought the meeting to a close at 12.40pm.

Mr William Hay
Speaker